


line without a hook

by yananvation



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bakery, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Everyone else is a human, Hwang Hyunjin & Lee Felix are Best Friends, Kim Seungmin & Yang Jeongin | I.N are Best Friends, M/M, Magic, Mermaids, Panic Attacks, Past Abuse, Sad Hwang Hyunjin, Slow Burn, Yang Jeongin | I.N is Whipped, hyunjin’s the son of a baker aka he runs the bakery while his parents vibe in cabo or smth, just lots of angst tbh, mermaid!jeongin, mermaid!seungmin, or are they...., the humans live in a shitty imaginary jersey fishing town, the mermaids have royalty the humans don’t
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-06
Updated: 2020-07-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:28:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24021325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yananvation/pseuds/yananvation
Summary: “Nothing ever comes for free, Hyunjin.” Jeongin combed through his hair with his fingers, daintily twirling a curl around his fingertip.Hyunjin sighed, sinking back into his chest and lulling his head to the side. He breathed in Jeongin’s scent, reveling in the mix of salty sea breeze and caramel cake. He rested his hands over Jeongin’s other, lacing their fingers just above his belly button. “Then what do I have to pay to keep this?”-alternatively: a modern hyunin mermaid au where jeongin and hyunjin are just two depressed teens trying to fix themselves before the world (and the sea) swallows them whole
Relationships: Bang Chan/Lee Minho | Lee Know, Hwang Hyunjin/Yang Jeongin | I.N, Kim Seungmin/Lee Felix
Comments: 18
Kudos: 40





	1. deadzone

_Where will you go?_

_Beyond the deadzone, it’s the only place they won’t follow._

_Those are forbidden lands, young one._

_Then I will reap what I sow._

* * *

After hours of their journey, Jeongin broached the shore just before the dawn rays. The moon bid them good tidings as she disappeared with the oncoming entrance of the sun, her lovers shine dusting the sky with new color. She promised to speak with Jeongin again tonight, to see how they were faring on this adventure of sorts.

Jeongin readjusted his grip on his weaker counterpart, his hands encasing his freshly turned thighs. He bore many more moles on his new limbs. Big and small, they freckled along his tan skin like the pebbles peeking from the sand underneath their feet. He gently laid him down on the wet sand, farthest from the jagged rocks that would prod at his healing body. He was grateful that the tides receded prior to their arrival.

Jeongin set their drenched bags beside him, quickly waving a hand to cast a spell to rid them of the seawater. He unzipped the first one, revealing a slew of human clothes and whatever medicinal supplies they could gather before they made their escape. He threw on the first outfit he could piece together, a simple purple t-shirt with a... cartoon cat on the breast pocket? He wasn’t certain, he’d never seen the furry creature in person. He also slipped into a pair of black sweatpants, though he did struggle a tad trying to figure out how to put them on. Once he was more or less decent, he scrounged about the bags for something for the other to wear. He picked a relatively similar set of clothes, a white long sleeve shirt and beige shorts. He dressed him as best he could, cursing himself for not forcing him to at least put on a shirt before they’d departed. He finished the task, however, and as a final touch, Jeongin took the liberty of draping a thin sweatshirt over his upper body. He flashed him an adoring smile as he settled into the warm fabric. 

“We made it, Seungminnie,” Jeongin called as he situated himself beside him, barely a hairsbreadth between the two. He stared down at Seungmin, his doey brown eyes closed with damp lashes sticking to his sullen cheeks. He looked a whisper away from death, pale and sickly underneath the welcoming dawn sun. But he was healing, ever so slowly his body was sewing its seams back into place.

Nonetheless, Jeongin blamed himself for this, for allowing such insolence to touch upon his loved one. It should have been him. It should have been him who drank from the chalice. It should have been him who keeled over in agony, screaming as the ruinous liquid pumped through his veins. He recalled the way his blood poured from all orifices, blue trails staining stripes into his rotting flesh. His magnificent scales morphed into decrepit shells of their beauty, flaking from his body and adorning the floor in their misery. He watched as his best friend, his guardian, putrefied before his very eyes. It was something akin to admiring a beached whale as starving gulls plucked at its fatty blubber, a morbid curiosity. In all his years, he’d never seen something as horrific, as heinous. And unlike a beached whale, Seungmin’s torture was done purposely. He’d never forgive such a sin.

 _Jeongin?_ a voice resounded within the dank dwellings of his mind. _Are you there?_

Jeongin twisted his head to peer down at Seungmin, eyes still closed but lashes fluttering to life. He slotted his fingers through Seungmin’s hair, idly combing away the tangles of decaying seaweed and urchin gunk. “Yes, my darling,” he spoke aloud.

_Have we made it?_

Jeongin glanced down to the sand underneath them. He squished it between his toes, marveling at how the foreign appendages moved. He flicked a glob of wet sand off his skin as the sun breached the final waves.

“Yes, we’ve made it.”

Seungmin’s features scrunched in agitation. _Stop that, your speaking voice is grating._

Jeongin laughed, “We must speak out loud now that we’re on the mainland. The humans will think we’re unwell if we simply stare at one another so intensely.”

Seungmin grunted, flipping on his side to nestle his nose into Jeongin’s clothed thigh. He jerked back when his skin met the fabric, a perplexed crease to his brow as he stared at it in awe. He then sighed in defeat as he slumped against him once again, squishing his cheek onto his thigh. “Who cares what the humans think of us?” he whined, voice slurred and muffled from the pressure to his cheek. “I miss your scales,” he said woefully, picking at the stray threads of Jeongin’s pants. “This barrier is thwarting me from my sworn duty to snuggle you to death.” 

“They’re called clothes, Seungmin,” he patronized. He waved Seungmin’s hand away from his pants, ignoring the petulant pout on his lips as he then smoothed the disturbed fabric with the palm of his hand. “Which we did, in fact, have in the kingdom. You’re just not used to having something on your lower limbs.”

Seungmin hummed, “I suppose you’re correct, but in my defense, I’m not used to having more than one limb down there.” he weakly kicked his feet into the air, wiggling his toes as he stared at them in curiosity. He then glanced up at Jeongin, squinting through the harsh sunlight shining down on them. “You look like you’ve been through the deadzone- Oh wait, you have!” he giggled at his own joke, a high pitched screeching carried away by the waves. He winced as he attempted to sit himself up on his elbows. “You should rest now, Jeong. I’ll keep watch for any unsavories.”

Jeongin shook his head in disbelief, lips parted as he let out an empty laugh. “You know I can’t let you do that.”

How could he still think of Jeongin at a time like this? He was moments from death only a few measly hours ago. So what if Jeongin missed a night's sleep? He would miss 50 nights if it meant ensuring Seungmin’s safety.

“My prince, you-“

“I am no longer a prince, Seungmin,” he reminded, a tad cruder than he meant to. “Besides, prior to this you knew how much I loathed when you referred to me as such.”

Seungmin deflated, “Ah, that’s... Yes, you’re right. I apologize... but you still need to sleep! You trekked through one of the most dangerous lands of them all!” he waved his hands theatrically towards the murky, discolored water to further his point. “Carrying me on your back no less!”

“You’re lighter than you think,” he quipped, nudging his damp forearm against Seungmin’s with a toothy grin. “I’ll be alright, I promise. You’ll know if I’m lying anyways, yes?” he ticked his chin towards his wrist, where a thin black band had formed on his skin. Seungmin donned a twin one on his own wrist. They shimmered at the mere mention of their existence. “It should tell you when I’ve hit my limit, I believe, but I intend to tell you far before that occurs.”

“You better!” Seungmin warned, pouting up at him with a cute crinkling of his nose. “Now that we’re not in that forsaken place, I can threaten you all I like!” he fully sat up now, crossing his arms over his chest in defiance.

Jeongin snorted, flopping backwards to observe the early morning pinks of the sky. He had forgotten how beautiful it was above the surface. How the salty sea breeze left kisses upon their cheeks and the clouds greeted them with a comforting neutrality. It was like they knew of their sorrow, and gifted them with the freeness to forget it all. 

“The sky is quite a sight, no? It’s easier to see it above water. No violent waves to obscure our view.”

“You sound like you still have water in your skull,” Seungmin remarked, yet mimicked Jeongin’s actions.

“I believe the humans would call me an airhead, but I digress.”

* * *

“Where will you sleep tonight?” Seungmin inquired from the edge of the pier. His tail glittered underneath the moonlight, the fiery scales reflecting the crescent shapes. He swished it idly, his fins drifting with the gentle pulse of the waves. “You can’t join me, can you?”

Jeongin craned his neck over the dingy wood planks, arms folded underneath his chin. He was splayed across the pier on his front, leisurely kicking his legs behind his head. “I’m afraid not.”

The low tide had taken its toll, the water retreated till you could see the barnacles on the piers supports. It made Seungmin’s cozy hideout beneath it that much more detectable. However, a simple wave of a hand and a reliable glamour charm should dissuade the prying eyes of any nuisance that dared to venture near.

Seungmin reached out a hand to him, fingers unable to make contact with the pier itself. Jeongin met him half way out of instinct, the wet skin of the other causing their hands to slip together seamlessly. He laced their fingers together with an affectionate smile, “We should trim your claws soon, Seungminnie. They’re growing far too quickly these days.”

Seungmin shrugged, examining his empty hand with a distant glare. “I look like one of the infected with these despicable things.” He clenched his jaw, folding his hand into a fist and inadvertently poking the tip of his nail into the base of his palm. He scoffed as a droplet of blood fell into the sea.

“They’re part of you, you should be kind to them,” Jeongin chided.

“I’ll be kind to them when they prove they’re more than a symbol of my cursed blood.”

Jeongin sighed, “You’re not cursed, nor are you infected. If you were, surely I would be as well. And you don’t think I am, do you?” he baited, a quirk to his brow. 

Seungmin’s eyes widened, “No! Royal blood is far from-“

“Nobility means little to the infection, you know.” he paused, releasing Seungmin’s hand so he could brace himself on his elbows. “And from where i’m standing, I would think I’m rather the definition of cursed. I cannot set foot in the ocean without that dreaded pain.”

Seungmin let his hand rest underneath the surface, features scrunching as he analyzed it yet again. “Yet you could hold my hand… and you felt no pain, yes? No rash on your skin? No itching?” his eyes gleamed with hope, his gills flittering with earnest as he rambled off questions.

“As long as I’m not submerged in her domain, I believe I am safe.” Jeongin felt a pang of guilt in his chest as Seungmin’s webbed ears drooped in disappointment. “I’m sorry, Seungminnie, but I still cannot trespass within her realm without facing her wrath. We should be grateful she granted us the time to come here. Even more so that she allows you to still rest in it.”

“I suppose so, but…” he wavered, his brown eyes dimming with regret as he glanced back at the calming waves. “I wish it hadn’t come to this.”

“It’s better this way, I think.” Seungmin jerked his head back to gawk at him. Jeongin refused to concede no matter his judgement, meeting his eyes with a forbearing gaze, “One day, you’ll agree with me.”


	2. admired

_ Those boys have been watching you. _

_ I can sense the tall ones eyes on me while I try to sleep. _

* * *

“Haven’t you noticed them just... standing there all day? I swear, even at night one of them is fucking, just, vibing out there!” Hyunjin complained, hands waving in eccentric motions as he yelled. “It’s weird, right? You gotta think it’s weird too, right?” he tilted forward, invading Felix’s space as much as he could without toppling off his desk chair.

Felix heaved a heavy sigh, exasperated already. “Hyunjin, please stop stalking every person you don’t recognize in this town. It’s getting concerning.”

Hyunjin guffawed at his audacity, his nerve, to accuse him of that. He was people watching and just so happened to encounter two new faces that don’t seem to want to disappear. It doesn’t help that they decided to camp out directly in front of the bakery. A quiet part of him hopes this doesn’t create a domino effect of loiters.

“I am not a stalker! and I can see you ogling one of them, anyways!” Felix narrows his eyes at him and with a huff, shoves his foot into the base of Hyunjin’s desk chair. Hyunjin spun in wild circles away from him, screeching in panic. “You can’t just kick me every time I’m right, you bitch!”

“Good thing you’re never right.” Felix resituated himself on Hyunjin’s bed, hand cupping his chin as he earnestly observed the two from the window. “The one with the glasses is pretty cute, though. He sorta looks like a puppy, don’t you think?” Hyunjin caught sight of a twinge in Felix’s lip, a slight upticking into a small smile. “Fluffy like one too,” he wistfully mused.

Hyunjin propelled himself back towards the bed, leaping off his chair once he was close enough to land it. He ignored Felix’s squeak of surprise as the mattress bounced them both into the air.

“You made me bite my tongue, you prick!” Felix smacked Hyunjin upside the head, tongue pressed to his cheek as he cringed in pain.

“That’s what you get for sending me on a non consensual tea cup ride.”

Felix rolled his eyes then he harshly tugged Hyunjin by the forearm towards the window. “Look, one of them is leaving!” he rapped at the glass with his knuckle as the messy haired one —who Felix was awfully drawn to despite his refusals— skipped merrily along the pier. He vanished from their sight and soon only the remaining man was left. his sleek silhouette was vaguely illuminated by the moonlight. His delicate features blurred together, Hyunjin being unable to pinpoint anything specific with the various storefront’s obnoxious neon signs flashing against the man’s face and back.

“Do you think he’s homeless?” Hyunjin whispered, though he knew the man couldn’t hear him over the crashing waves. He seemed enthralled by them, watching them with a mysterious intent. Though, the same could be said about the two men admiring him. nonetheless, it certainly intrigued Hyunjin.

“Maybe? We shouldn’t just assume, though...” Felix paused for a moment, eyebrows scrunched in thought. He then turned to Hyunjin with a beaming grin, “We should try to make friends with him and that other guy. If we find out he’s homeless, we can help!”

Hyunjin fervently shook his head, hair flopping into his eyes and clouding his vision. “They won’t like me, Felix. You should do it on your own.” he ducked his head down in shame, self consciously fiddling with his fingers. “You know I’ll ruin it, I’m sorry.” he raised his head to meet Felix’s eyes, almost flinching back at the stern expression on his face.

“Don’t say that!” he gritted his teeth, fists clenched tight as they rested atop his thighs. “You never ruined anything, Hyunjin! Stop pretending like-“ he voice tapered off as he took a few steady breaths, eyes falling shut to steel himself. He pressed his lips in a thin line, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have gotten so heated. That was wrong of me...” his eyes fluttered open once again as he coaxed Hyunjin towards him. He draped his arms across his shoulders, pulling him into a comforting embrace. “You’re a lovely person, bro. I know they’ll like you if you give it a chance.”

Felix always saw the best in Hyunjin, perhaps to a fault. But for once, he prayed Felix was right.

* * *

Hyunjin shifted uncomfortably, rolling from the balls of his feet to the tips of his toes. Each moaning creak of the rotting wood from the pier only piling further atop his worries. He let a wobbly breath break past his lips, pushing it out slowly before taking his first anxious step towards the stranger.

He was alone this morning, his fluffy friend hadn’t surfaced yet. He figured this was the most optimal time as any to strike a conversation without siking himself out.

The man noticed his presence rather quickly, turning his head to greet him with a tilted head and an innocent look of confusion. “May I help you?” he greeted.

Hyunjin swallowed, eyes drawn downwards to his shuffling feet, “Uhm, I- I was wondering if you- you... You might need anything? Like... like to eat? I- I see you out here all the time, and I was worried you, you weren’t getting any food or- uh...” he nervously wrung his hands, cringing as he desperately tried to quell his babbles. “I work- or sort of own... the bakery right over there... I live in the little apartment on top of it too so, uhm, sorry, I wasn’t, like, stalking you, or, or anything... I just noticed you one day and you never seemed to, yknow, go anywhere.”

The stranger nodded, features unreadable as the water splashed gently against the pier. “You’re awfully anxious today,” he remarked, eyes flitting back down to the water. “There’s no need to be, I’m of no threat to you.”

Hyunjin furrowed his brows. He'd never heard someone talk with such a... dialect, before. He spoke like he rehearsed it, but it was noticeably only just thought of. It wouldn't be far-fetched to think english wasn’t his first language. Oddly, he thought it was sorta cute.

“I- I didn’t think- I’m just, just really nervous. That’s all.”

He chuckled, a tiny smile gracing his features. He was attractive, Hyunjin had noted this when he first caught his attention, but he was more so under the rising sun. His tan skin glistened underneath the light, exposing some freckles littering his nape. The spray from the ocean provided a pretty gleam to his complexion. His eyes were kind as well, ones you would meet for the first time and know you could rely on. He was alluring, in every sense of the word.

“I can see that. What’s your name?”

“Hyunjin! My name’s Hyunjin,” he eagerly responded, mirroring his welcoming smile as best he could. “What about you?”

The stranger paused, a sudden guarded expression taking shape. Had Hyunjin fouled up so soon? The man shook his head after a moment, “Jeongin.”

Hyunjin brightened, shooting him the widest, toothiest grin he could muster. “That’s a nice name! I really like it! Uhm, I have to go open up the bakery now, but would you wanna stop in later? Just to eat? It’ll be on the house, I swear!”

Jeongin turned his head to the side, peeking past Hyunjin’s figure. “My friend is here now, would you mind if we both came to visit?” he gazed up at him blankly, almost like he was gauging his reaction; testing him.

“Of course!”

Jeongin smiled, eyes pressing into happy slits. “Then I suppose we’ll see you later.”

* * *

“He’s odd, but I sensed no malevolence-“

Jeongin tried yet again to persuade Seungmin into joining him at the bakery. They’d been eating far below average convenience store meals for two weeks now. It was beginning to take its toll on the two, fatigue becoming an unwelcomed occurrence. “We should at least pay a visit, no? I did say we would come.”

“No, he could be attempting to lull us into a false sense of security. What if it’s like that story, ah,” Seungmin stalled, tapping a finger to his chin as he thought. “Harry and Greta?” he tried.

“Hansel and Gretel.”

Seungmin snapped his fingers, bouncing excitedly from where he was sat cross legged on the pier. He shot Jeongin a gummy grin. “Yes, yes, that!” His hair, which Jeongin took much pride in styling today, flew all over the place. it splayed across his forehead, falling directly into his eyes and brushing the slope of his nose.

Jeongin huffed in irritation, “That story is fictitious, you know that.” he ignored Seungmin’s squawks of distress as he hastily raked his fingers through his messy hair. He parted it to the side, using a dollop of magic and a little good ol’ spit to keep it in place. He gave the strands a hard tug once he was satisfied, then he sat back on his hands to view his work. “If you really don’t want to go, then we won’t. I will not go anywhere without you by my side.”

Seungmin fell silent, timidly fidgeting with the tips of his fingers. He sunk his teeth into his lip, sharp canines poking into the plush flesh. “I... I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to purchase something to eat there, just once,” he muttered guiltily.

Jeongin beamed at him, “great! then we’ll go tonight, yes? I’m practically starved!” he leaned his weight onto Seungmin, a hand to his forehead as he feigned weakness. “Ah, my Seungminnie, I feel like I’m withering away... We must eat soon or I’m afraid I’ll- I’ll perish,” he bemoaned, sprawling into his lap.

Seungmin pinched his side, earning a loud yelp and a cackle of surprise. Seungmin snorted as he playfully batted at his shoulders. “Mind your manners, Jeongin. We don’t want the humans thinking you’re unwell.” his lips curled in a devilish smirk, hiding a snicker behind his hand.

Jeongin gaped, shoving Seungmin’s cheek away from him, “How dare you use my own words against me! Especially with a face like that!”

* * *

“That was fun, don’t you agree?” Jeongin asked from his perch atop the pier. The tides had risen considerably, granting only a few gracious inches between him and the grievous sting of the sea. He was quite fortunate the waves were calm this evening. “Hyunjin is a kind man, I think he can be an asset.”

Seungmin poked his head out from under the waves, a hardened quirk to his brow. “Asset? For what, may I ask?”

“For our lives here.”

Seungmin huffed, water spewing from his lips and drizzling onto Jeongin’s skin. Jeongin winced as he felt the sudden sizzle, a thrumming heat gushing along his leg. This was much worse than he initially bargained, having assumed as long as he wasn’t submerged he would be safe from the scalding. He certainly wasn’t a fan of this new revelation.

He missed the water, yearned to be back in it. he missed the comfort of its warmth and its unwavering strength. it was a security to him, a safety net of sorts. He couldn’t rest without being near it, without hearing the pitter patter of rain penetrating the surface and the faint crash of the waves against the shore. In the end, it was all a luxury that was taken for granted.

”Don’t pretend like that Felix boy didn’t amuse you. I can read you like a book, Seungmin.” Jeongin flicked a stray pebble from the planks, pouting a tad as it missed Seungmin’s shoulder by an inch. “Hyunjin is entertaining as well. that stutter he had when he first approached me was rather endearing.” he sighed, a longing smile playing on his lips as he mused. “He’s such a feeble thing, reminds me of the brittle stars I raised when we were young. Ah, I miss my babies so much.”

”You mean those ugly little bastards that would fling sand at me whenever I-“

”You made disturbing faces at them! Of course they would chuck sand at you!”

“shut it! someone’s coming!” Seungmin responded. He quickly dipped his head down below the surface, disappearing underneath the pier and furling his tail into a tight ball around his torso. He huddled as far back as he could despite the glamour protecting him. Jeongin figured it was for the best.

Jeongin sighed, unbothered by the upcoming presence of the passerby. He assumed Seungmin used it as more of a tactic to avoid Jeongin’s prodding than any actual threat. Their heavy footsteps against the rickety planks would fade soon enough. He let his eyes flutter shut, bracing himself on the palms of his hands so he could bask in the soft moonlight. However, the footsteps began to grow louder. Instead of crossing behind him without a second thought, they approached him. The thumps of their footfalls were no match for the frantic beating of his heart.

He kept his expression neutral, refusing to acknowledge their presence and praying they would simply take his silence as a strong enough hint. He anxiously dug his nails into the wood, ignoring the bouts of pain from the dirty splinters entering his nail beds. His breathing came to a screeching halt as he sensed the stranger stand beside him. He heard the ruffle of fabric as they lowered themselves to a crouch.

“I figured you’d be here, Innie.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> soooo how are we liking hyunjin and felix’s intros ?? their first impressions ???? and who is the mysterious stranger ???  
> thank u sm fr reading and pls leave comments and kudos if u can !!!!! i’ll see u guys next update <3  
> also mfs r idiots and keep forgetting 2 fix caps i’m so sorry i have caps turned off on my phone


	3. greetings

_ Was it you? _

_ If it was, would you forgive me? _

* * *

“I figured you’d be here, Innie.” The man plopped himself down beside Jeongin. He kept his distance, a cautious number of inches away from him. Still such a coward, even after all these years. “She told me you would be.”

A rage began to boil inside Jeongin, the vexation scalding his insides. He could feel the billowing wrath of steam rise from his lungs. He clenched his jaw, the thick veins of his neck pulsating with visceral anger.He willed himself to ignore it, attempting to act unbothered by his brother’s unannounced appearance.

He laid back, sprawling himself out on the planks of the pier to give off an air of leisure. It wouldn’t work though, he knew it wouldn’t. His brother was an obnoxiously keen one, a crown prince had to be in their kingdom. Lest they be left to the hands of the council… And no one wanted to be in that position. 

“You can at least say a hello,” Chan remarked casually. “We haven’t seen each other in-“ he was cut off but a sudden grating against the pier. A brief glimpse to the water revealed Seungmin circling the pier legs, strong and mighty tail flashing threateningly beneath the waves. It swirled and bobbed as he swam, brilliant oranges and reds flickering against the light of the moon. It looked similar to those pretty bugs that lit up during the night. Fireflies, were they called? Yes, his tail resembled the fireflies. Scales glittering with a pretty shine, even as they slammed against the pier.

Seungmin had his talon like claws scraping against any surface within his reach, leaving deep, splintering gashes in their wake. His teeth were bared in warning, pointed tongue hungrily glazing across them. He looked akin to something feral, similar to a cornered animal at best. Vulturine and predatory, at worst. 

“Greetings, Seungmin!” Chan chirped, “I see you’ve grown into that tail of yours.”

A guttural groan-like sound rumbled the pier and a swift swipe of a clawed hand had Chan retreating further away from the edge.

_ Don’t hurt him,  _ Jeongin ordered, crossing his legs at the ankle.  _ She’ll be angry with you if you poison her waters with his blood. _

_ Then make him leave _ , Seungmin replied. He vigorously thrashed his tail so it smacked against the pier leg on Chan’s side.

“You should go before he breaks the pier,” Jeongin dully called. “I certainly am not in the proper attire for a midnight swim.”

Chan seemed to ponder this for a moment, using a hand to swat away the pebble that mysteriously launched itself at his temple. “Is that what you want?”

Jeongin finally looked at him then, a knit to his brow. He noted the changes he’d made to his physique: the bleached hair, the cheap silver piercing looped in his ear. He seemed to have gained a few pounds as well that filled out his cheeks with a healthy layer of fat. Nothing like the sunken and hollowed ones Jeongin bore. Most intriguing though, was the braid he’d meticulously wound on the side of his skull. It was a royal style, one specifically meant for public appearances, galas, and notably ascensions. It was a sin to wear such a style outside of these occasions. A dark part of him, however, whispered that the kingdom couldn’t touch them here. The council and their rules did not apply to those on the mainland. He was... free, to do as he pleased. No consequences, no punishment, and ultimately, no fear.

Jeongin’s head began to pound.

“I want to sleep.”

“I see, I suppose I am encroaching on your bedtime.” Yet he garnered no signs of leaving. Instead, he mimicked Jeongin’s position, eyes poised on the twinkling stars above them. Typical. “I hope you don’t mind if I stay.”

Jeongin tsked, “I don’t need a sitter.”

“Yet you brought yours with you.”

“Don’t,” Jeongin seethed, nails coming to points as he dug them into his palms. He didn’t even wince from the sting as they penetrated his skin, blood shining as it trickled onto the wood. It would likely stain, at least proving Jeongin was there once. That he lived, breathed, and survived. A resigned part of himself knew he wouldn’t be for long. “Don’t talk about him like he’s not a person.”

“We were raised to think our guardians were nothing more than slabs of flesh to use as living shields,” Chan reminded, “But you know just as well as I that they’re more than that. Seungmin has taken care of you for years and you’ve done the same for him. You’re best friends, maybe even more like family.”

Jeongin unconsciously retracted his claws as he listened, anger dwindling to a minuscule flicker of a candle. “You talk like them,” he realized aloud, “the humans, I mean.”

Chan laughed, a belly busting type of chuckle that used to infect everyone around him into falling into a similar fit. He was personable like that, always winning the hearts of every prince, princess, and noble. Jeongin was immune to it now, but he wasn’t as proud as he should have felt. Instead, he felt a dull ache. Like he was missing something, incomplete and lacking. He hardly ever felt anything else when compared to Chan, with him being eons more powerful in every way fathomable. 

He’d remembered the countless times they’d been forced to spar till one of them was bruised and bloody, halfway unconscious and screeching ‘mercy! mercy!’ till their throat was skinned raw. Jeongin was often the miserable runt in that position, his brother looming over him with a glower as he delivered a final blow to knock him out. He'd always wake up in his arms though, Chan’s large, muscular body encasing his own as Chan shook with pathetic pules. It made Jeongin’s skin crawl just thinking back to it.

“That’s cause they taught us botched old english in the kingdom. I can’t tell you how many stares I got when I first came here and asked for fucking ale or some 1800s shit.”

Jeongin hummed in acknowledgement, but truthfully didn’t understand half the words he’d uttered. “You’ve learned their curses as well, I'm assuming.”

Chan nodded, a proud smile stretching from ear to ear, “Yep! Took some getting used to, but now I swear like a real human these days.”

Jeongin sparred a glance to the sea, eyes searching for the familiar splash of red. He was met with the calmness of the waves and a chilling gust that made goosebumps prickle his skin. He wasn’t used to the weather here, the ocean temperatures rarely fluctuated with how deep they dwelled. His scales were meant to deal with them even on the occasion that they did, but humans? Their bodies were useless against the cold. Such a pain. 

“Seungmin went to bed, I think. He probably got tired of prowling around waiting for me to dip my toes in the water.” Chan explained. He noticed his eyes shifting towards him from his peripheral, a quiet puff of air leaving his lungs as Jeongin’s body shuddered. “You should rest now, Jeongin. I shouldn’t keep you up this late.”

“I do not need you fussing over me.”

“You never have,” Chan reaffirmed, “but just humor me, will you?”

Jeongin huffed, a guarded tensity to his wearied limbs. He turned onto his side, back facing Chan as he tucked his quivering hands beneath his cheek. He curled his legs into his chest, funneling as much warmth into himself as he could. He figured if Chan had intended to harm him, he would have done so by now.

With that, he allowed his eyelids to flitter closed. Though he struggled to finally rest when he had two pairs of eyes staring him down.

A few days of this turned to a few weeks, till it became such a routine that Seungmin quit his patrol tactics and simply went to sleep whenever Chan had decided to come for a late night visit. Jeongin never catered to Chan’s need to converse with him, opting to ignore him or give him a couple heedlessly curt responses. However, he didn’t mind his presence, he must admit that. He felt almost at ease knowing that there was someone to watch for unruly humans while his back was turned. Though, there was still one  _ particularly _ unruly human that was beginning to get under his skin.

“So, where’d you get that hoodie?” Hyunjin pried, nudging Jeongin square in the side with the toe of his sneaker. “Looks awful familiar,” he continued to bait.

Just as Chan’s nightly visits started, so did Hyunjin’s morning ones. Usually, they were far more pleasant than this, having Jeongin gleefully awaiting them every time the sunrays began to peek above the surface of the water. They would share a bagel together and idly chit chat about whatever they felt necessary. Today was different though, oddly enough.

Jeongin scoffed, shoving the folded garment towards Hyunjin with a roll of his eyes. “I woke up this morning to it draped over me. I have no clue who it belongs to.” That was a damned lie, he knew exactly who the musty thing belonged to. Chan never knew how to stop toeing the line, now did he?

He could hear the frustrated ‘tch’ that Hyunjin grit out through his teeth, “Really? Cause I always see the owner of said hoodie-“

“What, so now I have two stalkers?” Jeongin bit. “You already come here every morning to speak with me, must you also spend your time watching me during the night?”

Hyunjin’s face paled, lips parted in shock as he realized he’d been caught. “I- it’s not like that-“

“Hyunjin! Let's go, my shift starts in 15!” Felix shouted from the bakery entrance, propping the door open with his hip. He impatiently tapped his foot as he checked his phone for the time. “My parents are gonna end me if I don’t get there on time cause I had to help you open again!”

Hyunjin groaned, but relented his interrogation of Jeongin and his newly acquired clothes. Before he could take a step back towards the bakery, Jeongin cleared his throat.

“Since you know so much about this thing, why don’t you return it to the owner for me?”

Hyunjin blew a puff of air from his nostrils, flaring them in exasperation. But he still bent down to snatch the hoodie from the ground. “You could always do it instead.”

“Or I could offer it to the sea as a gift. I’m sure she would adore having that ugly thing tossed in her waters.”

Hyunjin gave him a narrowed look, then shook his head in defeat as he trudged back to the bakery to quell Felix’s complaints.

Jeongin turned back to watch the waves, tuning out Felix’s curses and Hyunjin’s failed attempts at an apology. That was, until he heard Felix say something in particular that piqued Jeongin’s curiosity.

“Ugh, you- Why do you have Chris’ sweatshirt?”

“Jeongin had it, but he claims he doesn’t know how he got it even though I could swear I've seen them talking a million times at night!”

“Bro, full offense, you really need to get a life if all you do is stare at people you barely know from your window.”

“But I don’t barely know-“

Jeongin couldn’t help the snicker that wormed past his lips. So, it was true, Hyunjin was watching him. Not that he had any doubts about it, but at least this solidified his theory. He must say, he has no clue what he did to garner the other’s unwavering attention. He couldn’t have found him out, not unless he was told. And despite his reservations for his brother, he knew he would never do such a thing. If not for the fact it would hurt Jeongin, it would also put him in a fickle position in return. Though, a sour part of Jeongin keenly reminded him of all the times Chan had done just that. He'd hurt Jeongin far too many times to count.

A sudden hand on Jeongin’s shoulder caused him to whip around, nearly toppling backwards off the pier ledge. His heart pounded erratically from the fright.

“Jeongie, you look stressed,” Seungmin observed, examining him with a fretful gaze. “Did you not hear my calls? It's not like you to ignore my voice.”

“I was merely caught in my musings,” Jeongin replied, tugging Seungmin down to sit beside him. He then began to use his fingers to crudely comb through his hair, still dripping onto the wood and dampening Jeongin’s clothes. It was knotted with mats and littered with a few stray pebbles from his slumber under the pier. “You look like a mess, my dear. You should be doing this yourself by now.”

Seungmin hummed, resituating himself so his back was facing Jeongin. He lulled his head back, allowing Jeongin to pull and push him every which way. “An intriguing suggestion, but I’ve unfortunately taken a liking to being pampered.”

“You’re a brat,” Jeongin scoffed, his fingertips gently scratching and massaging the tender skin of his scalp as he worked out the last of the tangles. “I found something out just now, would you like to hear?”

Seungmin craned his head to meet Jeongin’s gaze, a curious lilt to his brow. “Do tell.”

“Chan changed his name when he arrived here. I overheard Felix and Hyunjin talking about it before you woke up and decided to scare the scales off me.” He pinched the chubby flesh of Seungmin’s cheek, puffing out his own in faux annoyance and setting his lips in a taut pout.

“Not my fault you didn’t listen for me,” He excused, raising his own hand to prod at Jeongin’s puffy lips. “That aside, why do you think he changed it? If he was concerned about his whereabouts being discovered, he should have moved from here altogether.”

“Maybe he wanted to leave that identity behind.” along with us, he failed to add. “He’s a coward, always has been. A mere change of a name won’t hide that.”

Seungmin let out an indignant sigh, “You call him a coward, yet you did the same-“

Jeongin growled, his lips curled in a sneer. “Do not compare that craven rat to me. I ran from the kingdom for you. I didn’t abandon the ones I claimed to love for the sake of my own selfish needs. I didn’t leave him to rot at the hands of- of-“ He shivered, his lungs contracting rapidly beneath his ribs. He felt them pushing against his bones as they inflated, no amount of air enough for his greedy body. “I- I can’t think about this now.” He used his sleeve to swipe at the tip of his nose, quickly scrambling to his feet. “Must- I must go. Do not follow me.”

“Jeongin-“ Seungmin tried, reaching out to grasp at his pant leg.

“Enough.” He deftly side stepped his hand. “I need to be alone.” Jeongin trudged away from him as his body began to shake. His fingers began trembling and his teeth clattered about inside his skull.

What was happening? What was this? He couldn’t breathe.

He let his feet take him where they wished, ending up in a shadow cast alleyway. It smelled of trash. Rotting food wafted from the dumpster and the aroma of bodily decay infiltrated his nostrils. He distantly wondered if he would emit that same odor when he met his demise.

He braced himself against the grime of the brick wall, wobbly knees screaming for a rest.

Had he traveled far? He didn’t know. Everything felt dim, numbed and far away. He felt like he was stung with a neurotoxin. He recalled how he had been once. He remembered how fearful he was of the paralysis, the ability to control his own body slipping from his grasp. How his body fell limp in a heap after only a few short moments. How the laughter and jeers of the council was the only sound his young mind could focus on. How his eyes followed the swishing of their tails like a pocket watch, hypnotizing him into submission. 

He was so little then, so hopeful and naive. Maybe he still was. He wondered if he went back, how cruelly they’d punish him. He wondered if he never left, how many pieces of him would still be intact.

He soon felt his body sink to the concrete, limbs slack and burdensome. The exhaustion that always came after a spike of adrenaline took over. He didn’t know why. Why had he felt so afraid?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI IM SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG I HAD A MENTAL BREAKDOWN AND ALSO GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL  
> so i’ve been relapsing in my eating disorder and a lot of my issues r rooted within body image so i’ve been beating my own ass lately :/ also this chap was just hard 2 write cause nothing particularly happens it’s just... explaining the relationship between chan and jeongin.  
> anyways i’m gonna aim fr one update a month but no promises cause mental health sux.... ALSO i’m adding a few scenes to the plot tht r gonna be rly soft and i’m excited 2 write them cause they tie into hyunjin’s issues which will be revealed.... soon.....  
> anyways lmk wht u guys thought !!!! i’d rly rly appreciate it cause i’ve been so down lately :(  
> thank u sm fr reading ilu !!!!!


	4. not an update

hey, i know it’s been a while :( i just wanted to explain some things real quick.

first, i know i haven’t been updating this regularly. i have not abandoned this fic, it just takes a toll on me cause the style is very specific and not an easy thing for me to just... churn out. i will update this at some point, i promise.

secondly, and bouncing off the previous point, it is going to take me awhile to rewrite the plot line. because of what has happened, i strictly refuse to have him in my works. i’ve written him out of peach tree (my last work with him in it) and now i have to write him out of the plot line of this one before i continue updating. i already know what i’m going to do with the character, so don’t worry. it just is gonna take me a sec to write it out and redo some of the plot.

finally, and most importantly, please stand by the victims. please let them know we have their backs. they need to know they are not alone. they deserve to be heard.

thank you.

\- xavier yananvation

**Author's Note:**

> i’m back sexies !!!!!! after peach tree i immediately started working on this and i’m rly excited to show u guys it !!!!!! pls let me know wht u think of the lore and if ur excited fr this too kwhckej  
> please please please leave kudos and comments so ik wht u guys thought 🥺🥺 and pls stay safe !!!! have a great week !!!!!  
> talk to me on my [ cc ](https://curiouscat.me/yananvation) !


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